Chart of the Week: Virtual Recovery Forges Ahead

Yes, stock watchers, the Dow Jones is back over 11,000 which is feel good news for Wall Streeters and those who still have 401k accounts. But look at these charts to see just how shallow the recovery is:

This chart shows that as a percentage of the total population, civilian employment has reached levels not seen since the 1950s. Approximately 42% of the total US population is not employed. Without wages to pay their credit bills, consumers are cutting back on their use of credit as shown in this chart:

That the recovery is restricted to a few sectors of the economy is reflected in this final chart. Some businesses such as home electronics and paper products have already experienced sharp reversals from the growth in the last quarter of '09 while others have stagnated near zero: